AHL playoff matchup: Griffins vs. Moose

Analyzing the American Hockey League's North Division finals between Grand Rapids and Manitoba:

Records: Griffins, 43-25-6-6, 98 points, third in North Division, beat Hamilton 4-2 in first round; Moose, 50-23-1-6, 107 points, first in North Division, beat Toronto 4-2 in first round,

Forwards: Manitoba has an extremely potent trio in Jason Krog, Jason Jaffray and Michael Grabner, but Grand Rapids' top line of Ville Leino, Justin Abdelkader and Darren Haydar was dominant in the first round, combining for 31 points. That gives the Griffins the slight edge.ADVANTAGE: Griffins

Defensemen: Grand Rapids' 18-year-old rookie Brian Lashoff looks like a seasoned veteran playing alongside Garrett Stafford, and Jakub Kindl and Tom Galvin have stepped up their play in the postseason. But the memory of Manitoba's physical blueline, led by Maxime Fortunus and Mark Fistric, clogging the middle and blocking shots is too hard to forget.ADVANTAGE: Moose

Goaltenders: Grand Rapids' Jimmy Howard was strong and steady against Hamilton, but Manitoba's Cory Schneider has been the best goalie in the AHL all season. His 1.98 goals against average in the playoffs almost mirrors his league-leading 2.04 in the regular season.ADVANTAGE: Moose

Intangibles: Grand Rapids' power play in the playoffs has the edge (22.6 percent vs. 19.4), but Manitoba's penalty kill has been better (89.5 percent vs. 84.6). Really, it all comes down to the regular season, and Manitoba had the most wins in the league. It didn't do that by accident.ADVANTAGE: Moose

Coaches: Manitoba's Scott Arniel was named AHL coach of the year, and for good reason. He's kept the Moose rolling in the playoffs. But Curt Fraser quickly turned around the Griffins after they closed the season with a 1-6 run. He'll give Grand Rapids an advantage in every round.ADVANTAGE: Griffins